Originally Posted by
alexeyAP
I've heard of the AIDS you're talking about - TV would have you believe every pilot is seemingly thrice divorced and a raging alcoholic (although I'm sure most of them are only once divorced
). Still, every pilot I've met - Easyjet, Ryanair, glider, GA, whatever - grins from ear to ear once they start talking about aviation. I can tell that their jobs inspire real passion - hopefully I'll feel the same. As for being paid ｣60k - I think my eyes would pop out of my sockets at that amount of money! Definitely more money than anyone in my family has seen for a long time if ever.
L3 Harris and CAE I believe now do modular courses as it's become quite trendy. I don't think CAE has any courses open at this particular moment but it's something I'll keep my eye on.
Back-up plan will probably be the lucrative yet enjoyable job as mentioned before.
How do I get that thing in writing from AME? Do I just pop one an email? I've just googled for AMEs around Edinburgh and there's a lot more than there was a year or two ago - 2 in Edinburgh alone. I'll see what contact details I can find and fingers crossed they write back.
Your advice may be free - but it's definitely worth a lot more than that
Thanks again!
I suspect you値l be in for a shock when you see what AME advice and or a letter costs!
At your age 60k I am sure seems like a vast wealth, however believe me when I say that money melts away quickly if you are not careful. On that sort of money too, you will be unpleasantly surprised how much goes to the tax man - your eyes will really pop out of your sockets then! Also consider that (often) an aviation career will mean your spouse is either part time or a stay at home parent - and again you値l find that as a single income, saving for two pensions etc, you値l be amazed how that money disappears. Then one day you come home and say the rumours of redundancies and base closure are true and you値l either be unemployed or moving to another continent. This is a fantastic tool when you池e doing maths around income:
Take home pay calculator (just use the tax code it suggests for now).
Aviation is my passion, I love my job, but I will tell you as soon as you have children (which is the most life affirming thing I have ever done) they become the priority - in my own view this is one of the pluses of a seniority based airline, as one is able to bid for more family friendly fleets or working options but you progress in seniority every year regardless. None of my retired colleagues have wished they had spent more time staring out the window on the way to Naples for the millionth time, but quite a number have wished they saw more of their children growing up.
I am not trying to put you off, I知 trying to temper some of your lack of exposure to the world of work - when pilots enter the work force, a bit of realism is always useful sooner rather than later, not least as it helps all of us realise better ts and cs.